This invention relates to a heated pliable member such as an electric blanket, heating pad, mattress pad, etc., and more particularly to a connection arrangement for supplying power from a power supply to a wire-type heating element in the pliable member.
A heated pliable member, such as an electric blanket, heating pad, mattress pad or throw, includes a power supply that supplies electrical power to a resistive heating arrangement, such as one or more resistive heating wires, that are located throughout the area of the pliable member. A heated pliable member of this type is shown and described in copending application Ser. No. 10/269,189 filed Oct. 11, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The ""189 application discloses a heated pliable member in which power is supplied to a heating wire from a low voltage power supply. A cord extends between the power supply and a connector associated with the pliable member, to provide power to the resistive heating wire of the pliable member.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection arrangement for engaging the cord of a power supply, and in particular a low voltage power supply, with the resistive heating element, such as a heating wire, provided in the pliable member. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a connection arrangement that reduces strain on the ends of the heating wire at the connection arrangement. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a connection arrangement that incorporates a releasable engagement feature for securing a plug at the end of a power supply cord with the connection arrangement. A still further object of the invention is to provide such a connection arrangement that can be selectively configured for use with power supplies of different voltages while utilizing common components for the connection arrangement. A still further object of the invention is to provide such a connection arrangement which is relatively simple in its components, construction and assembly, so as to provide a relatively low cost of manufacture and assembly, while providing a reliable and secure connection of the power supply to the heating wire of the pliable member.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a connection arrangement for a heated pliable member, which includes a heating element such as a resistive heating wire having a pair of ends, includes a pin member that is engaged with each end of the heating wire. The pin members are engaged within passages defined by a housing, via cooperating engagement structure associated with the housing passages and the pin members for maintaining the axial position of the pin members within the housing. The housing is engaged with a mounting member, which is secured to the pliable member such that an outer portion of the mounting member is exposed and an inner portion of the mounting member is located in the interior of the pliable member. The mounting member includes wings or tabs that arc stitched into the material of the pliable member so as to maintain the mounting member, and thereby the housing, in place relative to the pliable member. In one form, the mounting member is overmolded onto the housing, to maintain the housing and the mounting member together.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the housing includes an outer section that extends outwardly from the mounting member, and which is adapted to be engaged by a plug or connector member that is interconnected with the power supply cord, which in turn is connected at its opposite end to the power supply. The power supply connector member includes power supply receivers that are adapted to receive the pin members when the power supply connector member is engaged with the outer section of the housing, to supply power to the resistive heating wire from the power supply. A releasable engagement arrangement is interposed between the connector member and the outer section of the housing, for preventing inadvertent disengagement of the connector member from the housing. The releasable engagement arrangement may be in the form of a ramp member on an outer surface defined by the outer section of the housing, which is engaged by a movable locking member when the connector member is engaged with the outer section of the housing. The locking member is movable between an engaged position, in which the locking member engages the ramp member to prevent inadvertent removal of the connector member from the outer section of the housing, and a release position in which the locking member is disengaged from the ramp member so as to enable the plug member to be disengaged from the outer section of the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the configuration of the connection arrangement can be altered according to the characteristics of different power supplies, e.g. that are used with different types of pliable members such as heating pads, blankets, throws, mattress pads, etc. The housing includes a greater number of passages than the number of pin members that are engaged with the housing. Representatively, in an arrangement in which a pair of pin members are engaged one with each end of the resistive heating wire, the housing includes three passages, each of which is adapted to receive one of the pin members. The pair of pin members are engaged within the three passages in one of a number of predetermined pin member configurations wherein two of the passages are occupied by pin members and the third passage is empty, to enable engagement with a plug member having a matching configuration according to the characteristics of the power supply, e.g. the power supply voltage, and the heating output, length, etc. of the heating element.
The aspects of the connection arrangement as summarized above may be used in combination to provide a connection arrangement having a number of features that cooperate to enhance construction, assembly and operation of the connection arrangement. Alternatively, the features as summarized above may be used individually or in various subcombinations, to provide a power supply connection arrangement having a desired construction and operation.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.